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Hey, you got your BioShock in my Doom 2!
Professional level designer J.P. LeBreton's creativity can't just be contained by the BioShock franchise which his work has appeared in for the last three years. So, he recently exercised his craft in a fairly peculiar way -- by designing a Doom 2 map modeled after the two areas on which he served as lead designer for 2K's underseas adventure: Arcadia and the Farmer's Market. You can download the map directly from LeBreton's site. It comes bundled in a handy little .ZIP file which includes instructions on how to get it up and running on your modern gaming rig. If you're having trouble, just put the original BioShock in, and smear a thick sheen of petroleum jelly on your monitor. [Via Big Download]
Bioshock 2 has shipped over 3 million units
Take-Two has revealed in its latest fiscal earnings report that Bioshock 2 has managed to ship more than three million units worldwide since releasing on February 9. The report also says the first game has now sold over four million copies worldwide across all platforms, "bringing the total sales of the franchise to 7 million units." Of course, the important distinction here is that "shipped" does not equal "sold," as Take-Two infers above. Still, getting three million copies out there into the world is a pretty noteworthy feat. Get yourself a couple more million and you'll be able to finance construction on your own underwater metropolis -- not that any good could possibly come of it.
BioShock 2 special edition posters have hidden messages
[BioshockFan52] Those of us who have played BioShock 2 likely don't see anything out of the ordinary in the above image. Almost all of Rapture's propoganda has been smeared by Sophia Lamb and her followers in-game, so it only makes sense that 2K would do as much with the game's real world promotional items. And according to this thread on the 2K Games site, a black light is all you need to unlock this "hidden" feature in those neat posters you got with your Special Edition. The forums users in the thread aren't yanking The Great Chain here, folks. Our sister site Big Download confirms the Easter egg in its Special Edition poster, as well -- there's even a gallery showing off all of the hidden messages to be found. Remember: a man chooses to display his BioShock 2 posters under a black light, a parasite complains about the increased electric bill. [Thanks, Alex]
Swag Sunday: BioSwag!
When you come right down to it, genetic engineering is about the only shot humans are going to have at developing real super powers. Which is why BioShock and BioShock 2 are more than just stories about some nifty underwater city gone wrong. When you have people that can move objects with their minds or blast fire from their hands and then stick them in a gorgeous dystopia, that's when you've got a story. So what better way to celebrate that world than by bringing it into our own? With that in mind, we're offering up a mess of BioShock swag: one BioShock "Don't Wait! Incinerate!" women's shirt (size medium), one BioShock 2 Butterfly Hands men's shirt (size small), two different BioShock lithographs, and one extremely cool, handmade Splicer mask. Check out the prizes in the gallery below, and read the rules to enter.Note: as a BioReminder, Rapture Radio is still active and broadcasting, and much thanks to Sony Legacy for supplying us with these nifty prizes. Their BioShock 2 soundtrack is still available in both Deluxe and Standard editions. Update: We've chosen a winner! Thanks for entering everyone, and stay tuned for more Joyswag very soon. Leave a comment telling us what plasmid power you'd want. Feel free to make up your own. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec, mostly due to our exclusion from a "statut particulier" status in Canada). Limit 1 entry per person per day. This entry period ends at 7:01PM ET on Monday, March 1. At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive one BioShock 2 men's butterfly shirt, size small (ARV $10), one BioShock 2 women's "Incinerate!" shirt, size medium (ARV $10), two BioShock lithographs (ARV $15 each), and one handmade Splicer mask (ARV $50). For a list of complete rules, click here. What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition. For more info on our policy, click here. %Gallery-86686%
Here's that video of Jason carving a Big Daddy out of a tree you wanted
It would be cool enough to see a ten-minute-long video showing a man carving an intricate statue of BioShock 2's Big Daddy out of a tree using a chainsaw. That coolness factor is multiplied by ten when the person doing the carving is dressed up like known overnight camp murderer, Jason Voorhees. A video like that would finally prove that the prolific butcher has a sensitive side, capable of creating lovely, intricate works of art with his manslaughter instruments. Such a video exists, dear friends, and is posted after the jump. You should check it out, because, man, tree carving is surprisingly hypnotic. [Via Kotaku]
BioShock 2 for $49 at Newegg for just 72 hours
We're not gonna lie to you -- we were initially tempted to write this post in full-on mid-'90s late night TV ad format, but we instead chose restraint in telling people about the BioShock 2 sale going on over at Newegg. For just $49, you can snag a copy of the (at least somewhat) critically acclaimed return to Rapture on either Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 over the 72 hours that Newegg's sale takes place (just under 60 left as of this writing). If the recently detailed DLC wasn't enough to entice you to dive in to BioShock's sequel, maybe $11 off the asking price will do it, eh? (Because a man finds sweet sales, a slave buys at full price ... or something.) %Gallery-50342%
Bioshock 2 DLC kicks off with 'Sinclair Solutions Test Pack'
2K Games has announced that expansions for BioShock 2 are "slated to arrive over the coming months," expanding both the single-player and multiplayer facets of the game. The custodians of Rapture have yet to reveal what's in store for the single-player campaign, but have offered details on the first new multiplayer add-on: the Sinclair Solutions Test Pack. Available "soon" for 400 ($5) on Xbox Live and Games For Windows - Live and $4.99 on PSN, the pack will include: Rank Increase to level 50 with Rank Rewards New playable characters Louie McGraff and Oscar Calraca 20 new trials (some only available after a player achieves a rank of 41 or higher) A third weapon upgrade for each weapon Five additional masks (some only available after a player achieves a rank of 41 or higher) We just hope 2K Games takes care of those freezing issues before luring us back to the Circus of Values.
Nothing says 'BioShock' like stock car racing
[Image via GoJoeyLogano.com] We get so jealous of the professional oval-navigators in the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing -- their rides get all the sweet paint jobs. What, you think our Toyota Matrix wouldn't look sweet decked out in Home Depot stickers, with a large, arbitrary number plastered on our driver's side door? That's automotive bigotry. Speaking of, GameStop-sponsored NASCAR racer Joey Logano's latest whip was revealed during yesterday's Sprint Cup practice races: The Big Daddy-branded car seen above. That's actually a pretty great strategy -- can you imagine being one of the other drivers on the track, and seeing a massive drillmonster approaching from behind?
BioShock 2 hacking minigame could cause issues for colorblind gamers
[Image credit: Negative Gamer] Allow me to break from the usual third-person writing style we employ at Joystiq to address my personal stake in writing this post -- I'm part of the approximately 10 percent of human males with colorblindness. I had to return Super Puzzle Fighter for GBA and turn on the symbols in Hexic (the price I pay for the love of puzzle games). Like Russ at MTV Multiplayer, I (quite likely) have the most common form of colorblindness: Deuteranopia. Personal info aside, Negative Gamer put together a bit of an analysis of BioShock 2's hacking system -- a system which applies color matching to various rewards/punishments (green = hack, blue = reward, red = alarm, white = electric shock) and one which could be problematic for those suffering from colorblindnesses many forms. The piece takes a program called "Colour Contrast Analyser" (yes, it's a British-born application) and runs an example image of the hacking program through it, pointing out how the colors would appear to people with a variety of types of colorblindness -- the image you see above is but one example. So! If you've ever wondered what it's like to deal with the frustration of being colorblind and not being able to play a game because of it, now's your big chance. If you want to start a petition to "fix" the situation like these folks did for Modern Warfare 2, I'd really appreciate it. [Via MTV Multiplayer]
BioShock 2 players report multiplayer freezing issues [update]
We've received a number of reports from readers who've been participating in BioShock 2's multiplayer component and succumbing to a variety of game-crashing bugs. The reported causes of the freezing are widespread -- some Xbox 360 players encounter it during the post-game recap, while some have reported freezing up while in their apartment hubs. We've contacted 2K to find out if anything is being done to patch whatever issue might be causing the breakdowns. We were going to make a joke about the freezes being caused by the overzealous use of the Winter Blast plasmid, but that would have been one of the dumbest things we'd ever written. Update: A 2K Games representative responded to our query, and explained, "we are aware that some users are experiencing an issue that could cause the game to freeze during the multiplayer component. We are in direct contact with our first party partners and are working around the clock in order to provide a fix as soon as possible." [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Tune in to BioShock 2's Rapture Radio and prepare for New Year's Eve, 1959
Are you hep to this jive? You can dial into BioShock 2's Rapture Radio right now and listen to kitschy classics from the '30s, '40s and '50s. Tap your toes and waggle your fingers in the air with songs like Fred Astaire's "We Saw The Sea," and, according to 2K Games, you should "be sure to tune into the festivities at 12 AM EST tonight for the Rapture Masquerade Ball!" It's not clear if we'll hear the sounds of festive celebration or the screams of the torturous murder come the strike of midnight. The radio station teases you to "Come down to the Cashmere Restaurant at midnight, where the rich and beautiful will dance their cares away!" Given the history of Rapture, that doesn't seem likely. In the meantime, tune in here via iTunes or Winamp, or here for the Windows Media Player flavor.UPDATE: You can listen to the audio of the party below. It's all hubbub and rhubarb until 09:14, then all hell breaks lose. The station now just plays static, and a random message that they're experiencing problems. "There has been an incident at the Cashmere (Kashmir?) Restaurant. Please return to the safety of your homes."
BioShock 2 Avatar items come to Xbox Live
The following comes to us from the BioShock Wiki: "Big Daddies are genetically-enhanced human beings who have had their skin and organs grafted into an enormous diving suit. The candidates also go through voice box modification and pheromone application. They are then placed in large vats with a substance that effectively turns them into mindless drones. With gene splicing, the humans inside the suits were given enhanced strength and agility." ... Or they could have just paid 320 points ($4) on Xbox Live. Jeez, we guess Andrew Ryan wasn't so smart after all. (Related note: If you spend $4 on a Big Daddy costume for your Avatar, you are, legally speaking, no longer entitled to the sweat of your own brow. Sorry.)
2K Marin: Console wars 'drown out creative discourse'
The initially Xbox 360-exclusive BioShock was one of the major salvos in the ongoing console wars, waged on message boards and comment sections everywhere (including right here on this very site). Speaking with Destructoid, BioShock 2 producer Jordan Thomas expressed hope that the multi-platform sequel -- which launches today -- doesn't play a similarly divisive role. According to Thomas, "platform partisanship" is just silly and it "seems to flood the critical channels and drown out other creative discourse." Which sounds about right -- whenever a piece of news comes up that swings even close to the differences between the various consoles, the discussion usually degenerates into the same old arguments, and new and more interesting issues get drowned out like Andrew Ryan's old city. 2K Marin didn't ask in so many words, but we will: Would you kindly all just get along?
Review: BioShock 2 (single player)
BioShock didn't need a sequel. I know it, you know it; heck, I'd bet if they were being totally honest, the staff of 2K Marin would tell you they knew it too. BioShock was that rare combination of a perfectly realized world, fresh yet refined action and a narrative that left me with no real burning questions. It didn't need a sequel. But all that has very little to do with BioShock 2 because whether it needed to be made or not, it's here now. And the surprise isn't that someone other than Irrational had the chutzpah to make a BioShock sequel. The surprise is just how worthwhile it is. %Gallery-50342%
Amazon: 360 Platinum Hits are buy 2, get 1 free for a limited time
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Amazon is now offering a special buy two, get one free deal on Xbox 360 Platinum Hits titles. The deal is fairly straightforward: just pop three Platinum Hits games into your cart and the cheapest of the three will be knocked down to the wallet-friendly price of zero dollars. It's really the perfect excuse to pick up some great games you might have missed, especially considering many of them have sequels out this year -- notably Fable II, Halo 3, Fallout 3, Mass Effect, BioShock and Dead Rising. You'd better do it quick though, as the offer is only valid through February 13 and only while supplies last. [Thanks, Goldenchild]
BioShock 2 soundtrack song list revealed
Considering the upcoming digital release of BioShock 2's soundtrack is, well, digital, you could probably just procure the track list from Amazon and grab the individual songs before its announced February 9 release date. Sure, you're not gonna get your ... uhh ... eyes on the fancy digital packaging, but you could snag all those classy tunes a full three days before the other kids on your block. Think about that! Done thinking? Good, 'cause we've got more BioShock 2 music info for you -- there's also a way to enjoy the soundtrack this very second. How's that, you ask? Well, simple: just grab this iTunes music file or this WIndows music file and enjoy a taste of "Rapture Radio." To be clear, the tracks listed are no bearing on the game's official score which comes with the game's special edition. Head past the break for a breakdown of both the standard and deluxe editions (no prices are available yet). [Via Destructoid]
Pre-order BioShock 2, get BioShock free on Direct2Drive
(We apologize in advance for the acidic nature of this post. Keep in mind, it's only directed towards people who managed to miss out on the first BioShock, but plan to pick up the sequel when it launches next week.) Hey there, you big, dumb animal. So, you're just going to skip right over BioShock and hop right into BioShock 2, huh? That's your master plan? Don't worry, we're sure you won't be at a loss when you're hurtled into Rapture without knowing jack about its rich history. We'll give you a quick refresher: Big Daddies are the guys in the diving suits, ADAM's the stuff that gives you super powers, and also, you're an idiot. Direct2Drive is offering you one chance at redemption -- the digital retailer is offering 10 percent off pre-orders for BioShock 2, and tossing in a free copy of BioShock with the reservation. Pick it up, and maybe we'll talk about reconciliation. Maybe. Update: As a number of our commenters have pointed out, the same deal is available on Steam as well. Coincidence? Or shrewd business tactic? You decide!
BioShock 2 props surface ... and you can buy them
You've wanted one ever since seeing it in the very first trailer for BioShock 2. You even have one for your Xbox Avatar. Now you can buy a real, official replica of the cuddly "hand-made" Big Daddy plush doll that's featured in the game. Toymaker NECA has announced that the collectible is now available for $20 from various retailers, along with a highly detailed, 8" replica of an EVE syringe* ($16) that lights up blue when you push in its plunger. We realize these items are but a small consolation for 2K deciding not to release the $15,000 "Über Edition" of the game, but you have to admit they're pretty darn cool. [Via Toy News International] *EVE not included.
BioShock 2 gets midnight release, new launch trailer
If you've been jonesing for your second hit of ADAM, you won't have to wait a moment past 12 a.m. on February 9th; 2K has announced that BioShock 2 will get a midnight launch at Best Buy and GameStop stores. It's great news for us, but bad news for the clerks who have to work until the Witching Hour, just so some dude can fall asleep playing it an hour later, his drool and Cheetoh dust congealing into a loneliness gravy on his Big Daddy PJs. Hoping to pile some extra coal into the hype train's engine, 2K took up the whole first commercial block of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon with a 3-minute-15-second launch trailer. It's a cool clip, but we get the uneasy feeling that the heavy reliance on non-gameplay, first-person action is just a touch misleading. That said, it's just a couple of inches above this sentence, so you can judge for yourself.
2K unboxes the extremely rare $15,000 version of Bioshock 2
The $99 special edition for Bioshock 2 is a stylish little bundle, replete with art deco flyers and a record containing the game's atmospheric soundtrack. The video after the jump features an all-inclusive unboxing of the package, courtesy of 2K -- however, it also includes the world-exclusive reveal of the game's "Uber Edition," which costs $14,999, and only includes a copy of the undersea action title, and a real life Big Daddy. We're still trying to make sense of this whole thing. Why would 2K expect anyone to pay 15 grand for a single game? Is it even legal to sell an actual sentient being in this manner? What are the ramifica ... what's that? It's a joke? Oh, yeah, that makes a lot more sense. Thank goodness.
